Award-Winning Culinary Graduate to Offer Demonstrations

A Pennsylvania College of Technology culinary arts alumnus and in-demand creator of buffet showpieces will return to campus in October to share his expertise with students and alumni as part of the college's William C. Butler Lecture Series.

James Parker, a 1991 Penn College graduate and founder of Veggy Art, based in northern Virginia, found an immediate passion for creating centerpieces including melon carvings, ice carvings and tallow wax sculptures and began taking home awards and titles for his works.

After working for such venues as the Sheraton Washington Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in the Washington, D.C., area, Parker conceived the idea for Veggy Art, realizing he could create showpieces for busy chefs and home cooks who don't have the time.

Parker has performed demonstrations or taught classes for the White House, L'Academie de Cuisine, Sur La Table, the U.S. Air Force, and many other restaurants, culinary schools and organizations, attracting students from all over the world. His work has been featured internationally in newspapers and journals, as well as on the Food Network.

Parker will offer demonstrations and instruction for several classes in the college's School of Hospitality on Oct. 24-25, as well as a demonstration for alumni on Oct. 25. The lecture series is a tribute to Butler, who served as Penn College's dean of hospitality from 1994 until his death in December 2002.

To learn more about Parker's work, visit online . For more information about the academic programs offered by the School of Hospitality at Penn College, call (570) 327-4505, send e-mail or visit on the Web.